Improvement in devices for loading cartridges



T. L. STURTEVANT.

Devices for Loading Cartridges.

Patentedjuly 22 AM, PHoro-umeRAPH/c ca 110 .(useams Pnqczss) V NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS L. STURTEVANT, OF FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR LOADING CARTRIDGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. E41,] 85, dated July 22, 1873; application filed June 6, 1573.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS L. STURTE- VANT, of Framingham, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Implements for Loading Oartridge- Shells, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to improvements in implements or machines for filling or loading cartridge-cases, whereby the wads may be inserted within the plunger-cylinder, or the cartridge-case contained within the cylinder, with ease, certainty, and celerity. A prominent class of implements for loading cartridgecases, to which my present improvement has reference, is shown in Letters Patent of the United States, numbered 138,294, and issued to me on the 29th day of April, 1873. In this implement'or machine the wads are contained within a magazine located alongside of the plunger-cylinder or filling-tube, and provided with a sliding gate to automatically push the wads forwardinto the cylinder at the proper time, the wads entering the cylinder through a throat or aperture cut in its side. I have found in practice that, for many reasons, it is preferable to introduce the wads into the cylinder, or the cartridge-case contained within the cylinder, by hand; therefore, I either dispense with the magazine above named, or I create in the cylinder an additional orifice, whereby the wads may be inserted one at a time by hand. In practice I have found it ditiicult to insert the wads within the orifice with sufficient ease and certainty, therefore I have, as a means of facilitating this insertion of the wads, adopted a concave or bowl-shaped shelf, which surmounts the orifice, and constitutes a guide to unerringly direct the wads to the orifice, so that the filling of a case may be effected with great celerity. I propose, also, under some circumstances, to introduce the shot to the cartridge-case by means of the orifice in the cylinder, and the shelf becomes, under these circumstances, an effectual guide to the shot to direct it into the cartridge-case. It is in the employment of the shelf above named, in combination with the filling-cylinder and its plunger, that this improvement consists; and, although apparently of trifling importance, it is, in reality, a feature of great utility and value in implements of this character.

The drawings accompanying this specification represent, in Figure l, a front elevation, and in Fig.2 a horizontal section, of an implement containing my improvement, while Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the parts of such an implement immediately connected with such improvement.

In these drawings, A represents an upright tube or cylinder, supported upon a bracket or clamp, which, in use, is to be secured to a table or bench in such manner that the cylinder or chute A shall stand in a perpendicular position. Sliding withinthe cylinder A is a tubular plunger or rammer, 0, through which powder or shot, or both, may be poured to the cartridge-case below, and it is with this sliding plunger that the wads are rammed home upon the charge of powder or shot. The cartridge case or shell, shown at E in the drawings, is, when it is to be filled, inserted, mouth upward, within the lower part of the cylinder A, a swinging crane or shelf, F, pivoted to the lower part of the bracket or clamp, serving to support such shell in its position withinthe cylinder, and uphold it therein against the force of the blow of the rammer. Within the front of the cylinder A, and immediately over the mouth of the cartridge-case, I create an orifice, G, of a somewhat larger area than the wad, in cross-section; and alongside this orifice I dispose an upright tube, H, provided with a gate, this tube being the means whereby shot is fed, from a suitable source, to the cartridge-case. The lower end of this tube should terminate at a point immediately above the orifice G, and over a shelf, I, surmountin g such orifice, in order that a charge of shot, delivered through such tube, shall fall upon the shelf and be guided by it into the cartridgecase. A second tube may be combined with the cylinder for feeding powder to the cartridge-case, and both powder and shot tubes may be dispensed with or disused, and the powder and shot poured through the rammer 0 into the cartridge-shell. The shelf I, above referred to, is the prominent feature in this invention, and surmounts the orifice G, as

shown in the drawings. This shelf is not necessarily concave or semi-bowl shaped, as represented in the drawings, as, for the facilitatin g of the insertion of the wads, it may be fiat or otherwise formed; but its concave form is important to readily direct shot into the aperture G, and prevent spilling it.

I claim The combination, with the cylinder or chute and rammer of an implement for filling cartridges, of the shelf I, surmounting the wadreceiving orifice of such cylinder or chute, substantially as and for purposes stated.

THUS. L. STURTEVANT.

Witnesses F. CURTIS, LOUIS A. CURTIS. 

